Retractable writing implement



March 29, 1960 A. T. LlGuRl RETRACTABLE WRITING IMPLEMENT Filed May l5, 1956 I Nm 16v WT im @m L #mw ww.

RETRACTABLE WRITBG MPLEMENT Alfred T. Liguori, Bronx, N.Y., assigner to Scripte, Inc., Atlanta, Ga., a corporation ot Georgia Application May 15, 1956, Serial No. 584,977

2 Claims. (Cl. 12th-42.03)

The present invention relates generally to writing implements, and it relates more particularly to an improved writing implement having an automatically `advancing and retracting writing element.

There are two types of mechanisms most widely employed in electing the advance and retraction of a writing element, such as a ball point cartridge beyond and within the writing implement body member or barrel. In the iirst type the Writing element is advanced by manipulating a rst member and is retracted by manipulating va second member, such as a rearwardly projecting plunger and the writing implement clip respectively. In the second type the writing element is alternately advanced and retracted upon successive manipulation ofa y ployed possessed numerous drawbacks. They'were usually expensive as a result of their complexityV and assembly diiculties, their operating life was short,.defects ,Were common andrejects were high.

It is thusa principalobject of the present invention to provide an improved Writing implement. 3*'

`l-rnotherobject of the present invention is to provide an improved writing implement having a mechanism for automatically advancing and retracting the writing-ele-V ment beyond and within the writing implement body.

Still another object of the presentV invention is to provide an improved single member operated writing element advance and retract mechanism. 1

n A furtherv object of the present invention is to provide an improved plunger operated writing element :advance and retract mechanism characterized by its ruggedness, low cost, ease of operation and long life.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying rawings, wherein j t t Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a ball point pen embodying the improvedk automatic advancing and retracting mechanism; Y

Fivure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the irnproved mechanism; p

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line -3--3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Figure l; l

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 in Figure l illustrating the writing element in a partially advanced position; and

Figure 5a is a view similar to Figure 5 illustrating, however, the writing element in advanced position.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of an improved writing implement comprising a MEQ@ 2,930,356

barrel having a forward opening, an elongated writing movable between an advanced and retracted position and in engagement and movable with said Writing element to be normally urged to a retracted position, separably en gagable latching elements located on said locking member `and on the confronting face of said barrel, kand so positioned that said writing element is in advanced posil tion upon engagement between said latching elements, and a plunger longitudinally movable between an advanced and retracted position and having a pair of dependf ing armsdirected towardsaid rearwardly directed face of said latching member and being spaced one from the other a distance greater than the width of said rearwardly. directed face whereby said arms alternately engage said rearwardly directed face.

Referring now to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral 1t) generally designates a ball point pen barrel or body member having longitudinally slidably located therein an elongated Writing element i2, such as a ball point cartridge having the conventional partially attened portion Li rearward of the writing tip 16 thereof. T he barrel 10 includes afront casing l having an inwardly Vtapering leading wall 2t) vterminating in a forward opening 22. Removably secured to the frontcasing 1S, as will be hereinafter described, is a rear ,coaxialv tubular casing 24 ter, minating in a rear circular opening 25 surrounded by the inwardly directed ange 28. ,Y Y Y n Y k y The writing element advancing and retracting mechanismincludes a front firstrtubular member 30 having a rearwardly projecting cylindrical portion 32 'frictionally securedrinthe forward end of the rear casing 24, a forwarrdly projecting threaded shank 34 and an intermediate peripheral flange 36, the ,outer surface kof'whicljl is coplanar with the outer face ofthe casing 24. The threaded shank 34 engages a corresponding internal thread formed in the rear wall of the casing l to permit separable assembly of the casings 1S and 24. Longitudinally formed in the tubular member 3@ Yis a ybore 38 of substantially rectangular cross section having arcuate side walls. rA. pair of diametrically opposite recesses 40 are formed` in the trailing end of the .tubular member Titi. Also located inthe rear casing 24 is a second tubularmember l2 having a pair of forwardly projecting diametrically opposite tongues 44% of rectangular transverse cross section registering with the recesses 4@ formed in the V'first tubular member 30. Detents i5 are formed on the opposite sides of each of the tongues 44 and engage corresponding depresf;

sions formed in the confronting faces Vof the respective recesses 40 to provide a unitary assembly of the mem- 'i bers 3) and 42 whichV may be inserted as such into-'the casing 24. An inner longitudinally extending bore'is formed within the tubular member 42. and has a-forward portion 46 of substantially the same transverse cross section as that of the front tubular member bore 38 and communicates with a rearwardly extending bore 48 of vmember 42 being beveled to define a detent or stop member 52. The forward edge of the bore 46 diametrically opposite the slot Sil has a vrecess formed therein providedV with an inclined base to deiine a second stop member 54. The outer wall of a major portion of the tubular member Patented Mar. 29,1950

42 is cylindrical and frictionally engages the confronting wall of the casing 24, the rear portion thereof tapering inwardly as at 56to dene a shoulder and thereafter .projecting rearwardly as at 58 to the endof the tubular member 42.

Slidably disposed within the assembled tubular memshank 62 being substantially less than the width of the. bore 48 to permit lateral as well as longitudinal move.

ment of the shank 62 within the bore 48.

Located at the front end of the shank 62 is a base 64 of greater thickness than the shank 62 and of greater thickness than the corresponding dimension of the bore 38, the base 64 including a pair of forwardly directed arcuate legs 66 connected by a cross piece 63 having a laterally extending forwardly projecting arcuate ridge 71 which is adapted to roekingly engage the trailing end of the writing cartridge 12 without sealing the opening in said trailing end. Carried on the cross piece 68 are a pair of laterally spaced latching elements 70 provided with rearwardly directed inwardly rearwardly inclined Walls, the latching elements 70 being of substantially the same thickness as the shank 62 and being disposed along opposite narrow sides thereof. The latching elements 70 are of such configuration as to permit their engagement and registry with alternate stop members 54 and 52, as illustrated in the drawing.

Disposed rearwardly of the locking member 52 is an actuating member 72, including a shank 74 of rectangular configuration slidably engaging the rear bore 48 and having dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of said bore 48. Projecting rearwardly of the shank 74 is a cylindrical finger piece 76 which is separated from the shank 74 by a disc-shaped member 78, the finger piece 76 slidably projecting through the rear opening 26 in the casing 24 and the disc-shaped member 78 normally abutting the underface of the flange 28. A pair of laterally spaced legs 80 and 32 respectively project forwardly of the shank 74, the outer sides of the legs 80 and 82 being coextensive with the corresponding sides of the shank 74 and the confronting faces of the legs 80 and 82 being inwardly rearwardly inclined. The tip portions of the legs 80 and 82 are laterally spaced a distance somewhat greater than the width of the locking member shank 62, as best seen in Figures and 5a of the drawing.

A helical spring 84 having a plurality of circular convolutions engaging the rear portion 5S of the tubular member 42, the convolutions being of reduced cross section towards the rear of the spring 84 and encircling the shank 74 and terminating in a convolution 86 of rectangular configuration which bears against the undersurface of the disc-shaped member 78, the forward convolution bearing against the shoulder 76 on the cylindrical member 42. Thus, the helical compression spring 84 normally urges the manipulating member to its rearmost position so that the finger piece 76 is fully projected. A second helical spring 88 is entrapped between the flattened member 14 of the writing element 12 and the forward end of the casing 18 to normally urge the cartridge 12 to its rear retracted position, the rear end of the cartridge 12 bearing against the latch 76 of the locking member 60 urging the latter rearwardly. It should be noted that the width of the bore 38 is greater than the diameter of the writing cartridge 12 and less than the thickness of the locking member base 64. It should also be noted that the width of the legs 66 is slightly less than that of the slot 50.

Considering now the operation of the improved advance retract mechanism which is best illustrated in Figures 5 and 5a of the drawing, the mechanism being illustrated in a partially advanced position in Figure 5, by depressing the manipulating member 72 by way of the finger piece 76, the leg 80 imparts a moment to the locking member 60 as it is forwardly advanced. Upon the latching element 70 being carried out of engagement with the rear stop member 72 the locking member 60 rotates in a clockwise direction about the leg causing the lower end thereof to swing towards the stop member 54. As the latching element 70 is transported below the corresponding stop member 54, the respective latch element swings into longitudinal alignment with the stop member 54, and upon release of the finger element 76 the spring urges the manipulating member72 to its retracted position and the spring 88 urges the locking member 60 rearwardly by way of the writing element 12 until latching element 70 registers with the stop member 54 thus latching the locking member 60 in its forward position maintaining writing element 12 in its extended position, as illustrated in Figure 5a of the drawing. As the actuating member 72 is urged out of engagement with the trailing face of the locking member shank 62 the shank 62 swings about the forward stop member 54 to assume the position illustrated in full line in Figure 5a of the drawing. In order to retract the writing element 12 the actuating member '72 is depressed by way of the linger piece 76 urging the locking member 60 forwardly so that the latching element 70 is moved out of engagement with the corresponding stop member 54. The locking member 60 then swings in a counterclockwise direction about the leg tip 82 by reason of the moment resulting from the upward thrust of the writing element 12 upon the locking member base 64 to cause the latching element 70 to swing out of alignment with the corresponding stop member 54, as illustrated in broken line in Figure 5a of the drawing. The actuating member 72 is then released permitting it to return to its rearmost position by reason of the spring 84, the locking member 60 being urged upwardly by the spring actuated writing element 12 until the latching element 70 engages the correspondingy stop member 52 whereupon the locking member 60 swings to the position shown in full line in Figure 5 of the drawing. The advancing and retracting operation may be indefinitely repeated.

The various parts of the pen may be made of any well known desirable material, such as organic plastics, metal, etc.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

, 1. An improved writing implement comprising a barrel, an elongated writing element located in said barrel and longitudinally slidable therein between an advanced and retracted position, spring means normally urging said writing element towards said retracted position, a laterally movable and rockable locking member having an elongated body portion presenting a rearwardly directed transverse abutment surface and being longitudinally movable between an advanced and retracted position, said locking member body portion having a forwardly directed axial portion in rockable engagement with the upper end of the writing element and being movable with said writing element to be normally urged by said spring means to the retracted position, latching elements located at opposite sides of said locking member body portion rearwardly adjacent the forwardly di rected axial portion thereof, relatively stationary latching shoulders fixed to said barrel and respectively releasably engaging said latching elements and pivoting the locking member body portion thereabout to a position otfset and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said barrel and so positioned that said writing element is alternately in advanced and retracted position upon alternate engage Ament between said respective latching elements and latching shoulders, and a plunger longitudinally movable between an advanced and retracted position and having a pair of laterally spaced abutment elements directed forwardly towards said rearwardly directed abutment surfor releasing an engaged latching element of said locking Y member from a respective barrel latching shoulder and moving said locking member to position the other latching element thereof for engagement at the other latching shoulder of said barrel. l

2. An improved writing implement comprising a barrel having a forward opening and a longitudinally extending bore portion adjacent the rear end thereof, an elongated writing element located in said barreland lon gitudinally slidable therein between advanced and retract. ed positions with respect to said forward opening, spring means normally urging said writing element towards said retracted position, a laterally movable and rockable locking member including a rearwardly extending shank provided with a rearwardly directed face presenting a transverse abutment surface, said locking member being longitudinally movable between advanced and retracted positions in said rear barrel portion and being narrower at said shank than said bore to permit the lateral movement of said shank and having a forward end in rockable engagement with the upper end of the writing element and movable with said writing element to be normally urged by said spring means to the retracted position, a first latching element located on one side of said locking member rearwardly adjacent the forward end thereof, a second relatively stationary latching element lxed to said barrel and releasably engaging said rst latching elementl and pivoting the locking member thereabout to a position offset and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said barrel and so positioned that said writing element is in advanced position upon engagement between said latching elements, and a plunger longitudinally movable between an'advanced and retracted'position in said rear barrel bore position andhaving a pair of laterally* spaced abutment elements directed forwardly towards said rearwardly directed face of said locking member, said abutment elements alternately engaging portions of the rearwardly directed face of said locking member laterally spaced with respect to the rockable engagement ofthe forward end of said locking member with the upper end of said writing element and applying a moment of force with respect to said rockable engagement causing said locking member to pivot abo-ut the engaged abutment r element of said plunger to an angular relation with respect to the longitudinal axis of said barrel for alternately moving said first latching element laterally toward and away from said second latching element.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,734,484 OSullivan Feb. 14, 1956' 2,741,226 Dietrich Apr.r`10, 1956 2,863,421 Rizzo Dec. 9, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS l 2,017 A Great Britain 1890Y 53,926 Germany a Oct. l0, 1890 840,819 France -1- Jan. 23, 1939 1,091,302 France Oct. 27, 1954 302,574 Switzerland Jan. 3, 1955 (Corresponding U.S. 2,865,331, Dec. 23, 1954.) 

